Park Proximity and Use for Physical Activity among Urban Residents

Associations with Mental Health

Dados Bibliográficos

ID15501698
AutoresStephanie L Orstad (0000-0002-0915-9742, New York University, autor correspondente), Kristin L Szuhany (0000-0003-2063-6180, New York University), Kosuke Tamura (0000-0002-4920-2856, National Institutes of Health), Lorna E Thorpe (0000-0002-5535-2674, New York University), Melanie Jay (0000-0001-7343-3120, New York University)
Ano2020
Volume17
Fascículo13
Páginas4885-4885
Data de publicação2020-07-07
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
EditoraMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph17134885
OpenAlexW3039994839
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas24
Referências citadas42

Increasing global urbanization limits interaction between people and natural environments, which may negatively impact population health and wellbeing. Urban residents who live near parks report better mental health. Physical activity (PA) reduces depression and improves quality of life. Despite PA’s protective effects on mental health, the added benefit of urban park use for PA is unclear. Thus, we examined whether park-based PA mediated associations between park proximity and mental distress among 3652 New York City residents (61.4% 45 + years, 58.9% female, 56.3% non-white) who completed the 2010–2011 Physical Activity and Transit (PAT) random-digit-dial survey. Measures included number of poor mental health days in the previous month (outcome), self-reported time to walk to the nearest park from home (exposure), and frequency of park use for sports, exercise or PA (mediator). We used multiple regression with bootstrap-generated 95% bias-corrected confidence intervals (BC CIs) to test for mediation by park-based PA and moderation by gender, dog ownership, PA with others, and perceived park crime. Park proximity was indirectly associated with fewer days of poor mental health via park-based PA, but only among those not concerned about park crime (index of moderated mediation = 0.04; SE = 0.02; 95% BC CI = 0.01, 0.10). Investment in park safety and park-based PA promotion in urban neighborhoods may help to maximize the mental health benefits of nearby parks

Environmental health · Geography · Mediation · Mental health · Political science · Population · Psychiatry · Sociology · Demography · Medicine · Noise Effects and Management · Psychology · Urban Green Space and Health · Urban Transport and Accessibility · Gerontology